Run Your Mouth CITIUS MAG

This week’s guest is David Ribich of Union Athletics Club, a 3:55 miler and many-time D2 NCAA champion at Western Oregon University. You also might know David as the host of the Sit and Kick podcast or the author of Small School; Big Dreams- he’s quite the renaissance man.

This was absolutely one of my favorite conversations I’ve ever had on the podcast – David was super honest and vulnerable in talking about his journey with the sport and pulling back the curtain on what it means to go through a contract renegotiation as a pro runner. He also shared his changing goals and perspective as he’s grown in his time as a pro, and of course, because it’s Valentine’s Day, we got David’s full love story and recap of his proposal to his fiancée in an Irish castle of all places.

Thanks for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe, follow, and throw us some love in the ratings and reviews. This show just turned 5 years old and the whole time it really has been a love letter from me to the sport, the culture, and all the people who make running so much bigger than just a type of exercise. Thanks again and enjoy the episode!

On leaving Brooks Beasts:

“It felt like a breakup. A lot of love went into that relationship and I really put myself out there emotionally. And when I had the option to stay with the team through the fall [after being released], I chose not to because I needed to look forward, to figure out my next step.”

On looking forward to 2023:

“I had to look at myself in the mirror this whole fall and ask, ‘why the hell am I doing this still?’ I could make more money doing something else. It’s about a childhood dream that I want to pursue- at this point in my career, for myself.”

On his dreams as a professional runner:

“At this point in my career, I’m in this for me. I’ve been the nice guy; I’ve represented my team and my brand. Now my dream as a runner is to step off the track proud of myself. I’m trying to get the max effort out of my body.”

On training with Union Athletic Club:

“It’s nice to be surrounded by people who know what they want and go for what they want. I have a lot to learn from this environment.”

This week we had an awesome conversation with Erika Kemp, the Boston-based NC State grad who’s crushed the U.S. road running scene in the last few years and is running her debut marathon in Boston this April. Erika is coming off a half marathon personal best of 1:10:38 in Houston earlier this month and has impressive track credentials to back up her road-racing wins, including PBs of 15:10 in the 5000m and 31:35 in the 10,000m.

We talked about Erika’s decision to leave the BAA after four years and enter 2023 unsponsored, what it’s been like to train through the holidays and coach herself, the secrets to her success on the roads, and the impact she’s had on the sport through social media and telling her own story. We also covered her longstanding relationship with NC State coach Laurie Henes, her unique perspective on representation, and

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On leaving BAA after four years:

“I started to feel the itch for change [….] and as that feeling bubbled up and I thought more about moving up to the marathon, this felt like the right time to do it.”

On entering 2023 unsponsored:

“I’m out here not just to set big goals, but to achieve big goals. I’m excited to try different things and I see what I can do.”

On thriving in road races:

“When I’m on the track, I feel like a goldfish in a bowl. When I’m on the roads, I’m a shark in the ocean. It’s so much bigger and the stakes are higher – there’s more money, you’re facing world champions and national record holders on a regular basis, so it’s much more interesting.”

On representation in the sport:

“Representation is super important. Being one of the few [American-born black women] in the pro field at Boston is very intimidating but also exciting – it’s easier to push yourself when you’re running for more than just you. And the bigger the stage, the more eyes on you.”

This week’s guest is Paige Stoner, the newly-crowned U.S. Marathon Champ with her 2:26:02 course record victory at the California International Marathon earlier this month. Paige is a truly versatile runner who was an All-American in track and cross-country at Syracuse University, ran her debut marathon at 24 years old, and has found success in the steeplechase, the 10k, and everything in between.

We talked about her exciting year that included getting married, moving from Virginia to Flagstaff, and self-coaching her way to a marathon personal best. We also covered wedding celebrations, uphill tempo runs, the best running Christmas gifts, and much more. Enjoy the episode as you get your winter running done or wrap your holiday presents!

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On racing many distances and surfaces:

“In college I bounced around […] I always enjoyed variety and keeping things fresh. I didn’t think I would get into marathoning as early as I did, but when there were no races going on in 2020, that opportunity popped up and got me excited and motivated.”

On looking forward to her future on the roads:

“Winning my first U.S. title showed that I belong in the marathon, but I’m not naïve about what it takes. I’m taking steps forward and I’m ready to compete against the top women, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

This week’s guest is Adam Peterman, one of the best ultra marathoners in the country this year whose star is on the rise. Adam comes on fresh off a victory at the 80km trail World Championships and a breakout year that included wins at the Western States 100-mile race, the Canyons 100k, and last fall’s JFK 50-miler.

Before Adam was a big name at the long distances, he was a steeplechaser at the University of Colorado, where he met his partner, fellow Hoka trail runner Erin Clark. We talked about Adam’s journey to the ultra, his training setup in Mizzoula, MT, his plans to run a fast marathon, and much more as we dove into the fascinating world of ultra running. He’s definitely going to be someone to watch for fans of the long distances in years to come, and this episode was a great look into one of the sport’s newest stars.

Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram at @runyourmouthpod for more updates and new episodes and check out the other podcasts in the CITIUS MAG network for more great track and field content. Without further ado, enjoy the episode!

On moving to trails from DI track and field:

“After college, I was really burnt out and didn’t know if I wanted to race anymore. But moving back to Montana and being able to climb peaks, go mountain biking, and be around a strong group of trail runners got me excited about running again.”

On being compared to Jim Walmsley:

“A lot of the races [Jim] has chosen to do are the ones that I’m excited about. I look at his times at Western States or in the 100k, and it’s insane, but I want to see if I can do it too.”

On the growth of trail running:

“It’s a really exciting time to be a trail runner. Trail is so dynamic and unpredictable; it’s fun to tune in and follow. You might have someone who’s leading be throwing up 10 miles later – and even come back to win. It’s going to continue to grow a lot, and live streaming is going to propel the sport to the next level of popularity.”

This week’s guest is 2-time Olympian, many-time national champion, and 10,000m American record holder Molly Huddle. In addition to being a top-tier professional runner for Saucony, in recent years Molly has become a podcaster, writer, and leading advocate for women’s sports, as well as becoming a mom earlier this year with the birth of her daughter.

We had a fantastic conversation about the journey back to racing from childbirth, Molly’s changing relationship with running and plans for her professional future, and her perspective on the relationship between track and field and social media. Molly is a wealth of wisdom when it comes to training, racing, and growing the sport, and we appreciated the chance to pick her brain about everything from her training partner Emily Sisson’s American record performance in the marathon, to her tips for the upcoming NYC marathon, to her feelings on racing for fast times versus chasing the win. Molly is planning on running the BAA Half Marathon this month and the Houston Half in January as she returns to fitness and prepares for the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials

Apologies in advance for some sub-par audio quality during the episode – we had some equipment challenges on our end, but we didn’t want to deprive the listeners of this awesome conversation. Enjoy the episode and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us and all the other CITIUS MAG shows wherever you get your podcasts.

On returning to running from childbirth:

“My plan was to race into shape because I actually thought it would be less pressure than to wait and not know where I’d be in relation to my old performances. I’d rather just show where I’m at as I’m progressing, and I love racing.”

“After giving birth, your body globally is not able to careen back into shape like I used to [following injury]. Your body’s doing something else at the same time and it’s slower; it’s different.”

On her plans through 2024:

“I look at this as a fun time in my career. You can take risks and do what you want with races. Whatever I enjoy the most, that’s what I’m going to put my focus on. I do think I can still PR in the marathon and there’s motivation there to do something I haven’t done before.”

On working with coach Ray Treacy:

“When someone knows you so well as an athlete, there isn’t a coach who can do it better. If you can be with a coach long enough for them to always know what’s best for you as an athlete, that’s really special.”

On marathon race strategy:

“The governor is always how you’re feeling on the inside, and until you hit that limit, you can race within that range. Women’s elite fields can be thinner and you can find yourself between packs a lot. It feels less like a race and more like a really long, hard workout.”

This week’s guest is Isaac Updike of Nike and Empire Elite. Isaac is an accomplished steeplechaser who made it to the finals in the last two Olympic Trials, most recently finishing 5th in Eugene in 2021. With a personal best of 8:17 in the steeple and 3:58 in the mile, he’s one of the speediest runners to ever come out of his native Alaska.

Isaac had a rough 2022 marked by two bouts of COVID that derailed his track season, but he came on the show with a great attitude and perspective about his place in the sport, his remarkable longevity as a pro, and his goals moving forward. We had a great conversation about all the ins and outs of the steeplechase and hurdling, as well as covering his relationship with his coaches and athletes, why he proudly wears the blue-collar runner label, and what it felt like to finally earn an individual pro contract at last year’s Trials.

This episode of Run Your Mouth is presented by Nike. We’ve partnered with them to help share athletes’ stories in a way that reflects the different reasons we all choose to run, work out, and find our part of the track and field community. In my conversations with athletes in all events and all levels over the years, one common theme I hear over and over again is that finding the unique ways running brings you joy is the best way to develop a happy lifelong relationship with the sport.

Come run with Nike. For the everyday and common runner Nike is committed to motivating, standing by, listening to, and helping them from the starting line to the finish line and every inch, meter and mile in between. Whether it’s a local race, a major marathon, or just a run with friends, get out there and run. Just do it. Check out the Nike Run Club app and come run with us.

On training with Empire Elite:

“My coaches are super receptive and collaborative with their athletes. They have a deep knowledge and you want to listen to them, but they aren’t going to supersede your opinion and what you think is best for yourself.”

On scratching from USAs:

“It’s a point of pride – to go out there and try to represent your country and show all the work you’ve done. But there comes a point where competing is counterproductive and that was the decision we had to make.”

On finding longevity as a pro runner:

“The faster you get, the harder it is to get faster. At a certain point, you have to stack months and years together to have a single breakthrough. But the secret is pretty simple: we haven’t been overtrained and we enjoy it still.”